Cinders
by ScheherazadeTellerOf1001Tales
Summary: Kurama was the spark that started the fire and she was just a cinder. But she was a cinder that had to stop that blaze. No matter what it took to do it.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is something super old I found and it made me feel nostalgic. Yu Yu Hakusho was the first Anime or Manga I ever watched and read. I have four completed chapters, so if you like it review and I'll continue.**

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><p><strong>1. Meeting<strong>

The street was quiet as an elderly woman swept the front of her shop. A bell rang and she noted a familiar figure exited the Tarot Shop. The woman smiled and stopped in her work.

"Hello there Azimah-chan!" an old woman called leaning against her broom. The red haired girl looked up and, with a smile, waved.

The slender girl kept walking down the calm street replying to the numerous greetings with an always bright smile and friendly wave. She paused at the end of the street checking the road both ways before crossing to the other street. She stopped on this side and checked the stone sign. Meiou Junior High. Sighing with relief the small girl made her way to the school building. When she entered she didn't bother stopping at the office, simply waving at the women in it. She returned the girl's wave with a smile. Two flights of stairs later she was at room 305. With a moment of reluctance she pushed it open.

The red haired man in the room looked up and smiled at her softly. "Can I help you little one?"

The girl swallowed and took a nervous step foreword. The man's smiled softened and his eyes were incredibly gentle, yet the girl looked ready to run.

"You are Minamino Shuichi?" she asked ducking her head and fiddling with red skirt despite her determination not to show her unease.

"Yes," he told her and took a step foreword. "I'm sorry have we met? You can't be out of Elementary School yet. Perhaps a sibling of yours goes here?"

The girl cringed away from the man shaking and he took a step back eyes surprised. The girl grabbed her sides and began muttering in another language. After a few moments she stopped and looked at him. For a split second her eyes were the same red as her hair before they faded to brown.

"I'm sorry." The girl said teary eyed. "I just had a vision." She looked sheepish.

The man looked at her skeptically and a little amused. "I'm sorry a vision? You can't honestly expect me to believe you are psychic."

"Of course not, I forget that even your kind sometimes doesn't believe in us." The girl said softly, with a quiet understanding though the fear still remained. The man froze and the air grew cold though his face remained gentle. His eyes though no longer glimmered emerald, but had streaks of gold.

"I'm sorry, my kind?" he asked gently, though his voice was laced with ice.

"Y-Yes," she admitted stuttering and taking a nervous step back. "Y-You are Y-Youko Kur-Kurama. The f-f-famous th-thief and kit-kitsune."

The man went cold and no longer looked like the gentle honor student.

"What do you want girl?" he hissed softly eyes entirely molten gold now. The girl was backed up to the door now.

"I-I ha-have to t-t-tell you a pr-prophecy." The girl told him legs going weak and sliding down the door under the intense youki that filled the room.

"Speak."

She looked at him eyes wide and lips trembling, yet her voice was oddly even despite her fear. "I've come to tell you, that you and I will die unless we're together."

..0..

Two Years Later

..0..

"Kurama-sama," a soft voice called. Kurama, known to his human family and classmates as Shuichi Minamino, scowled. The little red head waiting patiently for him at the school's gate was looking at him fearful even after two long years of acquaintance. But Kurama doubted it was the timid thing's normal fear, no this one was more palpable and guilty.

"Hello Azimah. It's time we had a little talk." The fox demon said repressing his rage as he grabbed the girl by her arm and dragged her off. He felt the girl stumbling behind him but didn't slow his gait or release the bruising grip and fingers that dug into her skin.

The girl didn't protest though, to his disgust. She was too much a timid mouse in constant terror of the big bad fox. It honestly sickened him. The girl didn't appear to have any desire to want to be near him and in fact seemed repulsed by him. Anytime he tried to separate himself from her she had a panic attack. Kurama couldn't stand her. She was a constant little remainder of what he truly was. A very unwelcomed remainder at that.

Yet despite his dislike of her and annoyance of her actions he'd never doubted she was loyal to him for some incomprehensible reason. He wouldn't even consider that she would harm him or his. But now betrayal. He shouldn't be surprised. In Makai it was a fact of life. Kurama hadn't bothered confiding into anyone enough to feel any true betrayal or he'd betrayed them first. But he'd gotten used to being able to trust completely in Shiori. And perhaps, to a certain extent, Azimah.

Kurama shoved her roughly onto the stone bench. She yelped a little, but quickly quieted looking away with the unmistakable air of guilt. Kurama felt cold fury bury itself even further into his heart. She was admitting it already. Kurama roughly grabbed her chin and forced her to look him in the eye. Both so he could watch her reactions to tell a lie and because he knew it unnerved her. One of the few things he knew about her.

"You knew." He stated cooly looking into her somber brown eyes. She nodded, her eyes no longer looking afraid so much as deeply remorseful. Kurama barely repressed the urge to slap that remorse off her.

He released her in disgust and took a step back before he killed her right there, in the middle of the abandoned park. He was surprised he was so shocked. Perhaps it was because this betrayal hadn't injured him, but someone he cared for. He focused on the cold hard facts. The girl had known about Shiori's cancer. Known about it when it had been in a stage it was operable. He felt a growl pulling itself out of his throat, but stopped it. He wouldn't break his mask for this girl.

He looked up and slapped her.

She hit the bench and laid there a moment before looking up at him calmly. The remorse that still lingered made his hand twitch, but he didn't allow his churning emotions to show on his face. Her lip was busted and bleeding.

"If she dies you will die." He told her with a cold that had sent lesser demons suicidal rather than deal with Youko Kurama's revenge. The girl didn't even flinch. Kurama turned on his heel to leave before he went ahead with his threat prematurely.

"You know how to save her." The girl whispered softly. Kurama gave her a cold look. So she knew of Hiei's proposition and wanted him to take it up. Perhaps she even knew of the mirror and this was some creative way of killing him. Kurama left unable to stand her presence and needing to prepare if he was going to raid Reikai tonight.

..0..

"That monster should be strung up by his own entrails." Reiko said as she healed Azimah's lip.

"Onee-chan," Azimah told her brown eyes blank with exhaustion. "Not now, please. I don't think I can deal with it now."

Reiko made a cluck of disapproval and moved Azimah's red bob cut hair around until she found what she was looking for. Azimah relaxed as the gentle reiki healed her. Judging by the tutting noises her sister was making the injury was a little worse than just a bump. It did help assuage a very small bit of the innate guilt buried in Azimah though.

She knew what would happen, she'd seen it countless times even, but things could still go wrong. Kurama's anger could make him too bitter to connect with the detective. They could get caught. A thousand tiny things that could change the course of their fate and even if Azimah was the most powerful psychic born in the family for generations, not even she could predict everything. There was always that extra variable you could never control. Free will.

"You're still worrying over _him_, aren't you?" Reiko questioned interrupting her younger sister's thoughts. Azimah didn't bother denying it and her sister hissed horrified.

"You are sitting here with a concussion that _he_ gave you and all you care about is him. He isn't worthy of you. He's a youkai, a thief, a monster in human form leeching onto a human woman-" Reiko began trembling with obvious rage.

"He is a thief and a youkai, but he is a good man and would never hurt Shiori-san!" Azimah hissed, surprising her sister. The usually demure girl didn't bother apologizing. Reiko had made the mistake of flickering Azimah into a rare anger.

"As far as he's concerned I've sentenced his mother to certain death unless he dies in her stead." Azimah continued bitterly. Reiko listened but she was stiff and Azimah knew nothing she was saying would change her sister's mind. Reiko it seemed would always hate youkai or Kurama at least.

"It's just not right." Reiko told her eyes angry, but undeniably sad. "You call him 'sama' and you're scared of him, yet you defend him like he's Kami himself."

"I am not scared of Kurama-sama," Azimah told her sister, knowing the older girl wasn't listening anymore. Azimah watched blandly as her sister continued to mutter about 'unworthy fox youkai' and 'his numerous sins'. She knew Reiko would never believe Azimah didn't fear Kurama, she never had. What she feared was losing control around him. She knew it showed, but she was using it to her advantage to keep him distant.

"I know you won't change your mind." Reiko began sounding like she believed with enough prodding it could be changed.

"No, I won't." Azimah replied stubbornly. Reiko's blue eyes looked at her furiously.

"As I was saying, at least be careful." Reiko finished losing her angry energy with those words. Azimah almost felt guilty. She loved her sister and knew she worried about her. Azimah squeezed Reiko's hand comfortingly and nodded. The girl sighed still looking uncharacteristically somber, but shook her self and perked up. Well didn't look sad at least.

"You need to be going. Okaa-san wishes to see you in the Entrance Hall, you'll be welcoming some guests from the Takeko Clan." Reiko said making shooing gestures at her sister and turning back to her work.

"You'll not be coming?" Azimah asked insides going cold.

"No, Okaa-san doesn't wish them to-" the girl broke off and her hand drifted to the scars maiming the left side of her beautiful face. "Well you know."Azimah felt her annoyance return, though this time it wasn't directed at her sister. Azimah gently touched Reiko's scared check and pushed some ebony hair behind her sister's ear.

"You are beautiful Reiko, no matter what she thinks." Azimah assured her. Reiko nodded and turned away. Feeling frustrated and emotionally exhausted Azimah slide the door of her sister's little alcove open and headed towards the front of the compound. Passing the dark remains of the burnt half of the compound did not assuage Azimah's anger.

Why her mother insisted on doing this to Reiko she didn't understand. Hadn't the girl been punished enough for an accident eleven years ago? She'd been ten for Kami's sake. Azimah shook her head to clear her thoughts. It would do no good to wonder over that woman's actions. With the clan children she was as kind and understanding as a Saint, but with her own children anything below perfection was to be cruelly hid away from sight. Hence her sister's quarters being moved to the empty side of the compound.

When she entered the Entrance Hall her mother was seated on her throne-like chair at the end of the room where she could look down at everyone. Some of the traditionalists in the Clan found the chair distasteful, but others were willing to give the woman they considered a goddess in her own right anything that pleased her. Her mother's cool blue eyes examined her daughter coldly, disapprovingly.

"It seems Sakura-san truly was unable to find you if you are still dressed in those unseemly clothes." Iwamura Ohara, Head of the Iwamura Clan, and Azimah and Reiko's mother said. A slender brunette near her mother flinched and looked deeply ashamed.

Azimah ignored the slight against her school uniform and took her spot, at the right hand of her mother. The woman watched her closely and tutted in a remarkably similar way as Reiko.

"You've been visiting her I see."

"Yes, _your_ daughter. And my sister." Azimah said calmly keeping a polite tone, but refusing to show the same respect the others showed her. She was just woman to Azimah. And not a woman she particularly enjoyed.

"It's very honorable that you are incensed on your sister's behalf dear one, but she knows she deserves to be punished. It is only fair. I can't show favoritism just because she is my daughter. Some say I've been too lenient already." Ohara chided gently.

"She's been nothing but punished for the past ten years." Azimah said blandly, looking directly ahead of her. Ohara tutted again, showing the resemblance with her daughter that always seemed only skin deep.

Reiko had the same snapping blue eyes, razor sharp nose, slightly swarthy skin, and thick ebony hair. Reiko had been considered the most beautiful girl in the compound and sure to surpass her mother before the accident. Azimah, though took after her father. Pale skin, small build, bight red hair, and brown eyes. Plus she was incredibly short, especially in comparison to her tall family.

Nothing else was said as footsteps announced the arrival of the group.


	2. Chapter 2

**2. Tension**

"Iwamura Azimah please report to the principal's office." The intercom buzzed, interrupting said girl's verbal report. The class was silent staring at their best student in shock. Iwamura was _never_ called to the office. The red haired girl though only looked thoughtful compared to their befuddlement. Their sensei, who seemed to be in shock, cleared his throat, apparently snapping out of it.

"Well Iwamura-san you had better go." The thin brunette man said blandly.

"Yes, Inoue-sensei. Do you wish me to finish the report when I came back?" Azimah questioned sweetly. He shook his head.

"What you've read is fine, if you give me the written copy I'll read it later." She nodded and quickly handed over the paper before leaving the room with, which the class found suspicious, her bag clutched tightly in slightly trembling fingers.

Azimah didn't know rather it was quite sane to hope it was Kurama, who she hadn't seen for two weeks now. If Shiori had lived he'd still be wary of her and possibly angry. If she'd died he'd be there to kill her. And she still wanted to see him. Not for the first time she wondered if her sister's words were true and that Azimah, herself, really was insane.

When she arrived in the front office the only one there, though was the principal and an unfamiliar man. Azimah gave Shimizu, who was her Math teacher before she became the principal, a polite greeting as well as the unfamiliar man.

The woman though returned it beaming and looking quite proud as if one of her children, she had five, had done something amazing. Her warm golden brown eyes though were looking at Azimah. The girl returned it the best she could through her disappointment.

"Azimah-chan this is Konishi-san, the principal of a very prestigious school." Shimizu said excitedly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Konishi-sensei."Azimah told the large, in a wide way, balding man.

"It is an honor to meet a young girl as polite as you Iwamura-san." He returned graciously.

"Konishi-san has brought wonderful news for you Azimah-chan, if you follow us into my office I'll give you the full details." The brown haired woman told Azimah looking ready to skip. Konishi gave the younger woman a concerned glance, seemingly unsure of how to react to the hyper female. Azimah felt herself grin despite herself. Shimizu had a way of making people smile.

Azimah followed both of them into the small office a smile of amusement hid as she watched Konishi become decidedly more uncomfortable when Shimizu really did skip. Inside standing in a magenta uniform was a very calm red haired teen looking relaxed and as if he was lounging even as he stood. Azimah choked a little as a pair of soft green eyes turned to look at her.

Shimizu gave her a slightly concerned look that Azimah barely noticed. What was the kitsune up to? Azimah stared at the relaxed man confused and wary. Shimizu cleared her throat to get Azimah's attention and the girl quickly apologized for not listening. Shimizu gave her an understanding smile and Kurama a quick look. Azimah felt a blush realizing what her principal was thinking.

"Konishi-san is the head of admissions at Meiou High the best high school in Meiou distract. I believe you're familiar with the school since your family's compound is nearby." Kurama perked up at this and Azimah wanted to kick herself. All this time of carefully managing to keep him from knowing even her last name and it was out the door.

"We have gone over your test results and they are so extraordinary that Meiou is considering early admittance." Shimizu said watching her expression eagerly. Azimah was shell shocked.

"But I h-haven't even taking the entrance ex-exams and it's al-already two weeks into the school year." Azimah managed out stuttering in her surprise. That tricky bastard! Konishi stepped foreword this time.

"You can take the test today if you wish and you needn't worry we've already contacted your mother. She is very proud of your accomplishments and says if you wish to she approves." Azimah felt her heart drop, from Ohara that was a polite way of ordering her to do it or else.

"I'd love to take it then Konishi-san." The man nodded pleased and nodded towards Kurama who took a step foreword with a friendly smile. Azimah saw the amusement in his eyes and realized he enjoyed her being cornered.

"I'm Minamino Shuichi. If you pass, which judging by your records you will with flying colors, we will be in the same class. I will be helping you adjust to the change and catch up with your studies. It's a pleasure Iwamura-san." He gently shook her numb hand. Konishi chuckled.

"What Shuichi-kun fails to mention is that he is the top in his year and the school. You are in good hands Iwamura-san." Konishi assured her. "If you come with me we'll get that test taken and you can start your new school tomorrow."

..0..

Kurama thoroughly enjoyed shocking the girl so much. It was what you could call delayed revenge for their startling first encounter. But the transfer itself was more than that. He needed to keep a closer look on the girl. He was willing to let her go when she seemed harmless enough, but Shiori had almost been harmed and now he wanted her under his thumb at all times. She was too dangerous to be left a free agent.

"I will meet you at the front of the school at seven. Be prompt we must get to class on time." Kurama told her calmly sliding up beside her as she left the school building. She tensed a little, obviously not having sensed him since he'd hid his youki.

"Of course Kurama-sama." He was curious at the lack of stuttering, especially since he was so close. She couldn't possibly be showing some signs of growing a spine could she?

"You sound annoyed." He said enjoying himself even more. Her jaw clenched in a way he'd never seen.

"Don't be silly Kurama-sama why would I be upset about being forced to attend your school." _Ouch, how cold,_ he thought amused with the tables being finally turned.

"You were hardly forced, you could have declined." He'd been surprised she hadn't truthfully and was curious to the cause. There was no reply. He looked down and was surprised by her expression. She looked honestly angry. Then she stopped walking. He looked at her questioningly.

"Do you intend to follow me all the way home Kurama-sama?" she questioned in a, technically, polite voice. Interesting, he could have broken her every limb and it wouldn't have angered her. But causing her to be physical near him… Or perhaps it was something else? He back tracked in her mind and reviewed her reaction to the conversation earlier. She'd had the strongest reaction at mentions of her home and mother. She didn't wish for him to know anything at all, did she?

"Why not? You know everything about me after all. It's about time I learned something about you Azimah." He told her with his coolest grin.

He was surprised again by the change from anger to worry. It was even more startling that it clearly wasn't worry about her family because of the 'big bad youkai', but for the 'big bad youkai'. He gave her a sharp look. What was the girl's family? He knew she was a powerful psychic, but that didn't always mean the family was. Her last name was Iwamura. It was vaguely familiar he would have to ask the right people about it.

"Kurama-sama I will tell you whatever you wish if you will never go to my home." The earnestness and reaction intrigued him. He didn't answer though and when they had walked another tense block he left suddenly. He wouldn't forget this or forgive her slight against Shiori, but he did want to know why she was so desperate to put him in contact with the Reikai Tantei or Urameshi Yusuke.

..0..

Azimah leaned against the frame of the door wait for her silent sister's reaction. She'd came here as soon as she'd gotten home, ignoring the messenger her mother had sent to summon her. The girl, Sakura, had been deeply insulted in 'her ladyship's' behalf for the girl's snubbing, but hadn't dared to go after her. The rest of the clan was prohibited form entering Reiko's sanctum. Technically so was Azimah, but she could ignore her mother's orders without penalty. Needless to say that made her less than popular in the eyes of the clan. Well most of it anyway.

"That's his school." Reiko stated blandly. Azimah nodded and her sister looked furious.

"Damn it!" she growled knocking an ugly vase onto the floor. "The bastard wants to keep you close now. He's manipulating your life. It's getting too dangerous Azimah. We need to tell Okaa-san."

"We are not telling Ohara." Azimah told her sister. On the outside she was keeping calm, but on the inside she was panicked. If Reiko went ahead and told Ohara everything would go to hell. Reiko was the only one who knew of Kurama or Azimah's visions of the kitsune. She was the only one trustworthy enough to tell. Ohara wouldn't just disown Azimah; she would probably kill her and Kurama both. She could tell Reiko this, but her sister still had this naïve belief in her mother that was painful to watch.

Azimah buried her aching head in her arms. "We need to find out exactly what he wants, because he knows or will know very soon where the compound is."

Azimah didn't need to see the look on her sister's face she could tell how bad it was by the horrified silence.

"A youkai knows where the Iwamura Compound is." Reiko said breathlessly, falling into a chair her body limp. "A youkai knows."

"It's happened before it can't be that horrible." Azimah said stiffly. Reiko looked at her eyes wide and bright.

"Every time it happened the pyros eliminated the youkai." Reiko told her using the slang name for the youkai tracking branch of the family that controlled fire. "The only time the pyros failed there was a massacre. Thirty people died Azimah-chan. Most of them children."

Azimah felt sick and took a deep breath to steady herself. "I'm a pyro aren't I. Youkai would be my responsibility if I wasn't Ohara's daughter. I can take care of Kurama-sama and if necessary I can," she hesitated for a split second. "eliminate him." It was a lie, but it calmed her sister, who actually managed a small smile.

"And not just any old pyro either, your Oko-san's daughter and our most skilled pyro. Greatest all around psychic of the generation." Reiko seemed relieved, but the titles and compliments Azimah always heard made her sick to hear from her sister.

"Right," Azimah breathed out and quickly excused herself.


	3. Chapter 3

**3. School**

He was right there waiting for her the next morning and Azimah's stomach fell. She had hoped she'd have at least another year before he pushed to have control of her actions, but she had suspected Shiori would change things. He gave her a welcoming smile that she definitely didn't trust when she was close. She waited for him to say something as they walked towards the building, but nothing. Right as they were at the entrance he bent close to her ear and she stiffened.

"Remember to call me Shuichi, Iwamura-san." He told her gently and held the door open for her. Azimah wondered what she was getting into as she switched out of her street shoes '_Shuichi'_ waiting patiently behind her. Finally when she could delay no longer she turned to him and with a smile he led her towards the front office.

Whispers followed them, but they weren't the normal new girl whispers. Something very shocking was happening. Azimah looked at Kurama's head. She could tell countless stories about when he'd been Youko Kurama, and the most important events from when he meets Urameshi Yusuke and on, but she didn't know the little things. Did he have friends in school? What he did in his free time? Did he even enjoy being a 'human' teenager even a little? What was his favorite food?

Perplexed the girl watched his broad shoulders as they entered the office. The man there gave her an encouraging smile as she handed her schedule to, of course, Kurama. He looked over it, not even bothering to hand it to her. He tutted and smiled, even chuckled a little. Purely to bother her she was sure. Kurama was the vindictive sort she knew that much.

"_Shuichi_-san may I please see my schedule?" she finally asked having had enough. He looked down at her with an indulgent smile, which for some reason, made the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

"How inconsiderate of me Iwamura-san, I was just happy to notice how many classes we have together. All your morning classes and the last one of the day. Unfortunately we have different lunch periods. A pity." Azimah's sixth sense was going crazy telling her something indeed was not right.

The girl felt her heart stop. He hadn't forgiven her for Shiori of course. She'd risked Shiori when, King of Thieves or not, he might have failed against Reikai security and Shiori would have been left to die. Plus he was definitely paranoid enough to obsess over her encouraging him to steal the mirror and was wondering if she knew he'd meet the detective and why she desired that. Azimah forced herself not sigh and bit her lip when he met her brown eyes with his deep green ones. Her heart hurt for a moment and she quickly looked away taking the offered schedule.

She looked over the schedule or pretended to. She felt weak. Her hands were started to get clammy and her skin was hypersensitive. Damn of all the times. Kurama touched her hand and Azimah jumped away blushing at how hot his hand felt on her skin. He looked at her curiously. Her hands began to tingle as the sensations spread.

"I'm sorry, Shuichi-san you startled me." She was saying eyes scanning the halls for an escape before she succumbed completely in the middle of the school. Usually she had better control than this. Kurama touched her again to garner her attention and Azimah nearly fainted at the sharpness of his touch.

"I need to use the bathroom." She squeaked and nearly ran across the hall spotting her salvation. Just a little further. She swung open the door surprising some of the girls who were applying makeup. They gave her evil looks, which she ignored quickly opening and locking herself in the largest stall.

By this time she was shaking and breathing deeply. This was a powerful one, worse than normal. She gripped the metal handle tightly as her legs went weak. She fell against the wall using her arms to keep her standing on shaky legs. She fought against it with all her might until the voices of the other girls faded. She fell onto the ground and let it control her senses.

..0..

_The first explosion hits his arm. It wasn't the pain that shocks him so much as the fact he'd felt nothing. No contact at all. Next is his leg. He listens to the laughing of his ebony haired opponent. The opponent mocks him explaining the technique he can not see with a superior air. The opponent shows the weapon he'd been tortured with and something starts in his stomach a tickle of change. It was finally time. The bomb is thrown and he can distantly hear his opponent maneuvering away, the announcer talking, his friends saying his name… The change is taking over he can feel it as the ashes and smoke around him begin to change as his body does. The crackling white-blue mist spreads and spasms ripple through him. His vision is blue and he can feel the youki flowing through him much more powerful than in his other form. So much more unstable, wilder. No longer the tame form, but his other one. His older one that had spanned centuries. He feels his youki snap out from him and with a cry it is done. He is Youko Kurama. It had been a close one if it had been Minamino Shuichi's body, it would have been blown to bits. He grins. Now it is time to kill._

..0..

Azimah gasped feeling herself snap back into her own body. That had been intense. She gently touched her arm looking at the place she'd felt a wound only seconds before. No wonder it had been so strong, she thought despairingly. She was naturally in tune to Kurama's wave lengths and being in his presence for a long time or in an area he had spent quite a bit of time in, therefore leaving his signature, would trigger this. If she didn't focus she could have a vision hourly.

Grimacing Azimah got weakly to her feet. This would be a great test of her abilities to repress visions. It was embarrassing enough that she hadn't been able to repress that one. She was well passed the stage she'd been when she'd first met Kurama and should be able to lock them down to go through later, especially ones she could feel were not urgent. Moving around a bit she stumbled to the toilet and threw up. Damn it, was just like after her first absorbance vision all over again. She wiped the tears that burned her eyes and got to her feet again. Her reiki was completely drained, but considering the circumstances perhaps this was a good thing. She was less likely to garner a vision with low energy to fuel. Plus if Kurama didn't touch her she could handle herself better.

Nodding to herself she opened the door and headed towards the sink to rinse her mouth out. But she came to a stumbling stop when she found a scowling brunette waiting for her. The girl pushed her glasses on top of her nose and her dark eyes flamed furiously. Azimah just stared the horrible stale taste of vomit still saturating her mouth.

"I suppose you're one of them." The girl said derisively, wrinkling her lip in disgust. Azimah wasn't sure what _one of them_ was, but she knew she'd been insulted. She frowned at the girl choosing to remain silent and made to walk around her.

"Don't ignore me," the girl hissed grabbing Azimah by the wrist. Azimah looked at her cooly, fighting an instinctual urge to burn the girl, she was not in the mood to be bothered. The girl looked taken aback, but quickly was back to bristling.

"Just because you're Minamino-san's little sister doesn't mean you're getting special treatment. No matter how many grades you skip." The girl snapped, surprising Azimah enough that she lost her coolness and looked at the girl in befuddlement.

"Listen I get that you're probably embarrassed that a stranger knows that you're anorexic, but you don't have to worry, I don't plan on telling anyone. No matter how stupid I think it is." The girl said grimly apparently trying her best to be amiable. The suggestion was so ridiculous that Azimah had to fight back a laugh, but couldn't resist a smile.

"Are you making fun of me?" the girl asked offended going bright red and releasing Azimah to glare at her. Azimah couldn't hold back a giggle. The girl's expression deepened into a scowl which looked awkward when combined with the mortification.

"Just rinse out your mouth so we can go. As class representative I'm responsible for getting the new girl to class." The girl snapped looking away furiously. Azimah nodded and went to the sink trying to stifle her laughs, since she'd accidently offended the girl. The brunette girl tutted clearly impatient but waited by the door for Azimah to finish.

"Come on." The girl said stiffly opening the door and turning on her heel when she saw Azimah was done. Azimah followed behind her, but noticed by the pinkness of the girl's ears she was still embarrassed or at least insulted. Azimah instantly felt guilty. She sped up to walk next to the girl catching her attention.

"I'm sorry class representative-san. I wasn't making fun of you, it's just I'm not anorexic. I just wasn't feeling well. I'm still recovering form the flu and ate something that disagreed with my sensitive stomach. I deeply appreciate your kindness for checking on me." Azimah said as sincerely as possible.

The brunette went bright red again and frowned at Azimah, though not as harshly as before. "You don't have to lie," the girl said gruffly. "I promise I won't tell your brother."

"I'm not lying Senpai." Azimah said wondering why the girl went even pinker at that. "And Shuichi-san isn't my brother."

Now the girl looked confused. But after a few moments at looking at Azimah's most earnest expression she went a shade of red Azimah hadn't thought humanly possible. "I apologize. For thinking you were, well you know, and for my mix up. I assumed because of the red hair…"

"It is alright Senpai." Azimah accepted with a smile. The taller girl looked away embarrassed.

"Don't call me Senpai, we're in the same grade after all." The girl muttered out quietly. Azimah grinned finding the girl amusing and her reactions adorable and oddly reminiscent of her sister Reiko when they were little.

"Well you are older than me and what else I'm I to call you? I don't even know you're name." Azimah pointed out slyly. The girl nodded and straightened sticking out her hand.

"I am class 1-A's Class Representative, Kimura Hideko." The girl said soberly.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Hideko-chan, I am Iwamura Azimah." Azimah said sweetly shaking the girl's hand firmly. The girl looked down at Azimah annoyed.

"That'll be Kimura-san, Iwamura-san, we've only just met." Hideko said grimly. Azimah gave her a mischievous smile.

"You accused me of being an anorexic and were quite rude to me in the first three seconds of our meeting I think you owe me permission to use your first name, at least." The girl nodded embarrassed and pushed up her glasses. "And call me Azimah, Hideko-chan."

The girl grimaced and turned walking away. Azimah felt a smile twitch on her lips as she followed behind the girl, pulling on her sleeve and demanding to be addressed by her first name. Finally the taller girl snapped, turning on the shorter one furiously.

"Fine, Azimah-san!" she growled and Azimah beamed at her grabbing her hand and swinging open the door under the sign that proclaimed 1-A.

"Good job, Hideko-chan!" Azimah chirped pulling the pink faced girl into the room behind her. The teacher looked up jumping slightly. The slender blonde man blinked at them a few moments before relief passed over his gentle features. Azimah stared at him. He looked very young and beautiful. So young in fact she wondered if he was really a student. But the conspicuous lack of magenta cloth told her this was wrong.

His face went stern, or as stern as such a gentle faced man could. It was rather adorable actual. His blue-violet eyes looked disappointed.

"Kimura-chan you are late." He said disapprovingly and Hideko jerked her hand out of Azimah's grip before bowing deeply to the teacher.

"I'm sorry sensei." The girl said sounding horrified. The class chuckled and Azimah had the distinct impression Hideko was not well liked. It had not been a nice chuckle.

"It was my fault sensei, I got lost." Azimah said bowing equally deeply and respectfully. When she looked up the man looked a little startled but nodded.

"You must be Iwamura-san. Konishi-san mentioned you would be joining my class. I am Williams Matthew your home room teacher, please close the door and take a seat." The man said with a welcoming smile and soft voice that held a gentle accent she didn't recognize. Azimah liked him.

"Of course Williams-sensei." Azimah turned to close the door and turned back to find Hideko quickly hurrying to take a seat in the back, before instantly hiding her face with the bangs of her long dark hair. Azimah felt herself frown as the girls near Hideko said something that was most definitely nasty if the tensing in the girl's shoulders were an indication. Azimah sighed and looked around the room for an empty seat.

There were two, one beside Kurama and the other beside a sleeping boy with almost white, silvery hair that put her in mind of Youko. Azimah briefly met Kurama's green eyes before taking the seat beside the boy. He didn't react to her sitting and she focused on Williams. She spent the rest of the period firmly watching their soft blonde teacher, ignoring Kurama's gaze that kept burning her skin, and wondering if her desk partner would ever wake up. Finally it ended and Azimah felt close to collapsing in her seat.

She turned hoping she'd be able to catch Hideko and use her as a sort of shield to ward off Kurama, but the girl was almost instantly out of the room. She groaned. She watched the others leave with a sinking heart and turned to the boy beside her not sure rather to wake him up or not. She was surprised to find bright red eyes looking at her curiously.

"So Birdie's done is he?" Azimah felt taken aback, both surprised by the accent, completely different from Williams's also foreign one, and his name for the sensei.

"I'm sorry?" she asked confused. The boy gave her an evil smirk.

"Birdie, Mattie, or if you prefer, the sexy little piece of ass up there." The boy said pointing at the sensei at the front of the class. Azimah's mouth dropped and she looked towards Williams. The boy had said it very loudly and unselfconsciously, clearly the blonde had heard judging by the tense soldiers.

Azimah turned back to the boy who was grinning and watching their teacher not unlike a hawk with a mouse in its sights. Azimah laughed and laughed and laughed. When she was done the boy was giving her a friendly, approving gaze.

"I'm the awesome Gilbert Beilschmidt. Well Beilschmidt Gilbert. However the hell you Japanese say your name." the albino boy said. Azimah returned his grin with a friendly smile.

"I'm Azimah." She replied. He nodded seemingly pleased and stood crossing his arms behind his head.

"Since you seem nearly awesome as myself I shall grace you with my presence later. I have to go sexually harass Birdie." Azimah waved as he skipped to the front of the classroom. She had the oddest feeling she and he were going to get along swimmingly. She didn't see what he did, but only heard "Gilbert I've told you a thousand times. Not in public or on school grounds!" screamed. Because as soon as the albino was a gone a rather cold looking Kurama appeared at her side. If his expression was any indication she'd somehow managed to offend him yet again.

..0..

Azimah spent most of the day getting mistaken for Kurama's little sister or trying to ignore the coldness radiating off the kitsune when he was near her. Finally came her saving grace, Gym. She'd always found the uniforms embarrassingly lacking in material, but it didn't matter today. Meiou was the type of school that had separate gym glasses for boys and girls.

Azimah was smiling to herself as she did the stretches only half listening to the whispers around her. She bent over to touch her toes and a small cough made her look up. A few of the girls were in front of her. The one in the front, whom she assumed was the leader, was attractive though her bottom lip a little too full to be flattering. But other than that she was a surprisingly beautiful girl with unusual ambery colored eyes.

"You're Azimah correct." The girl questioned with a welcoming smile that didn't meet her eyes. Azimah knew something was wrong with her the instant she saw her and it wasn't just because of her completely improper familiarity. The girl was possessed by something. Azimah could see its darkness tainting the girls reiki.

Azimah focused on the rest of the girls in the group. They all had an unusual color to their eyes and were eerily beautiful and similar. They were all tainted with evil. Azimah straightened and met the leader's eyes. What was going on?

"It's Iwamura-_san_ actually." Azimah said sweetly, but firmly.

The two blonde facsimiles in the back giggle in unison. The one in the front gave her a grin that would curdle milk. Her teeth were those of sharks, but judging from the lack of reactions form the other girls this wasn't seen to those without the sixth sense. The girl grabbed Azimah's forearm hard enough to break a normal human's. Azimah looked up at her mildly and the grin faltered slightly.

"Who are you?" the girl growled, making her pretty face ugly. To Azimah's clear sight anyway.

"Iwamura Azimah." Azimah said with honey in her voice. The girl's grip tightened hard enough for Azimah to feel uncomfortable. She considered burning the girl, but didn't want to hurt an innocent's body.

"Well bitch you seem to need to know your place." The girl said viciously.

"Back off Hiroshi!" a voice snarled and two hands pulled Azimah away from the possessed girl. The girl, Hiroshi apparently, jumped away and glared at the yeller. Hideko it turne dout. Hideko looked just as furious, though not like a feral beast, unlike the possessed girl.

"I told you not to get involved in my business Hideko." The possessed girl hissed but backed off her pack following her. Azimah looked up at the furious Hideko amused.

"Thank you Hideko-chan." Azimah said brightly. The brunette girl blushed and released Azimah, backing away to glare at Azimah.

"You idiot what are you thinking getting them mad?" Hideko asked.

Azimah cocked her head to the side faking confusion. "I don't know what Hideko-chan means. The girl's approached me and I simply requested they do not act so familiar."

Hideko growled looking at her like she was an idiot. Azimah smiled sweetly. Hideko turned on her heel to walk away.

"I'm not even going to bother if you want to get yourself killed go ahead." The brunette said frustrated. Azimah kept pace with her as the girl attempted to escape.

"What do you mean?" Azimah questioned enjoying herself.

"You wouldn't believe me if I'd told you." Hideko said. Azimah wondered mildly if the girl ever said anything without that growl in her voice.

"Do you mean the fact that she's possessed?" Azimah asked a matter-of-factly. Hideko stopped and stared Azimah eyes wide and face pale.

"What?" Hideko squeaked.

Azimah gave her a very small smile she. "She and the others are all possessed by a youkai."


End file.
